Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 9:00 am  

One person is playing hide and seek, showing true colours again,not one post, despite posting every day. 100% would have been here if we had lost.

Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 9:01 am  

Ellam wrote:

Are we allowed to be positive or will we be shot down, just going to read through the comments then I'll see if I can be positive.

You can be if it's guarded. If we get half a dozen games in and have 3 wins on the board that's the time to start being more positive. There were even some wins under tony smith believe it or not

Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 9:08 am  

Enjoy every moment, too many dark days recently, to be fair about from a mick taking on social media I haven't seen anyone going mad with predictions after last night's result. Still going to be a tough season, but we do seem to moving in the right direction.

Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 9:19 am  

Right my take, everyone stood up and put their bodies on the line, defence fantastic(all hail Lasty), team spirit the like of Hardaker and Rapana hugging Barron and Martin when they did something well was great to see it's what these young lads needed after last season(masterstroke Richie), Spine was massive Rapana quality always makes yards, Cust very good, Sezer amazing what you can do with a kicking game, Amir good at hooker loved Mint but what a difference at hooker with good ball and pace, Asiata warrior and moves our team around the pitch. Only one game but we've waited nearly 18 months for this so let's enjoy. Negatives Jed's hammy hopefully just a minor and a few weeks. Hopefully Amir pass protocols to play against Wigan. Holmes hopefully play to replace Jed and that be my only change. Final point someone's gone MIA amazing that isn't it he be gutted.

Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 9:36 am  

Burough failed his hia so will definitely miss the wigan game

Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 10:23 am  

It was great to see some effort, mental steel and commitment to the cause. Alot has being made about our recruitment but I think it showed last night we have signed players who will fight for every ball and put there body on the line. The little things we have taken for granted that we havent had for so long. Asiata presuring the kicker, Hardaker being switched on at a shirt kick off and half backs that can defend. Martin and Barron looked like different players with more experience around them.

For me win or lose, show that same intensity every week and Ill be happy.

We will have stronger challenges, its round 1 and despite what most are predicting I dont see Catalans as a top 6 team. But for far too long games like last night we would have lost.

Step in the right direction, but if last night is anything to go by we are far away from the team you just have to turn up to beat.

Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 10:44 am  

Jake the Peg wrote:

You can be if it's guarded. If we get half a dozen games in and have 3 wins on the board that's the time to start being more positive. There were even some wins under tony smith believe it or not

While yes we need to be cautious the key thing for me was the foundations of a good defence where there. RL is a possession sport and if you defend well and keep the ball you will come up with the win more often than not.

The biggest risk is how we cope with injuries and bans as we are weak in some positions. But we have money and salary cap space and I can forsee we will sign players for 2026 and pay to get them to come mid this season instead.

Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 10:47 am  

Jake the Peg wrote:

Burough failed his hia so will definitely miss the wigan game

Leaves us in a different position, Balmforth can't do 80 muns, so we could play Cust there and bring Kemp in or bring Hutchison in. I'm not sure breaking up our halfbacks is a good thing, but tough to ask Hutchinson to make his debut against Wigan.

Unless we go with someone like Fash or Lane, which again, I hope we dont.

Maybe Moy off the bench?

Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 10:56 am  

Dave K. wrote:

Leaves us in a different position, Balmforth can't do 80 muns, so we could play Cust there and bring Kemp in or bring Hutchison in. I'm not sure breaking up our halfbacks is a good thing, but tough to ask Hutchinson to make his debut against Wigan.

Unless we go with someone like Fash or Lane, which again, I hope we dont.

Maybe Moy off the bench?

Balmforth looks fitter so maybe 50 or 60minutes isn't out of question now.

Think I'd go with not splitting the halves up and putting Moy on the bench as interchange hooker and cover for the backs. But it's not ideal whatever we do.

Re: Catalans Away - 14th Feb : Sat Feb 15, 2025 11:10 am  

The biggest positive for me was not the win but the nature of the performance. It's been missing for so long.